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Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Early August Won't Feel Much Like the Heart of Summer in Parts of Central, Eastern U.S.

Linda Lam
Published: August 2,2017
The beginning of August won't feel terribly summerlike for portions of the central and eastern U.S.
The weather over the eastern two-thirds of the country has been
influenced by a trough, or southward dip in the jet stream, for much of
the summer, resulting in relatively cool and wet conditions in many
areas. This pattern will continue through early August with
below-average temperatures prevailing for areas east of the Rockies.
This upper-level pattern will also allow a strong upper-level ridge,
or northward bulge in the jet stream, to develop over the West and
bring the potential for all-time record heat to the Northwest this week.
Last week, this setup allowed a rare July cold front to push through
the South, which dropped dew points and lowered temperatures. The
pleasant change certainly did not feel like the end of July.(MORE: 7 Odd Weather Events Happened in Late July)
Now, another unusual cold front is expected to track from the northern Plains through the South and East into this weekend.

The blue contours on the map indicates where cooler-than-average temperatures are expected.

This cold front will slowly push southeast through the Midwest
midweek. The risk of showers and thunderstorms will also return, and a
few severe thunderstorms cannot be ruled out. However, the lack of
moisture ahead of this system will limit the threat of flooding.
Friday into Saturday, this cold front will slide through the East and
much of the South. A few severe thunderstorms may accompany this
system, but, overall, a return to wetter conditions is anticipated.
Behind this front, cooler-than-average temperatures will make another
appearance. Below is a closer look at this mild early-August forecast.

First Week of August Forecast

Below-average temperatures engulfed the northern Plains on Wednesday
and will now spread into the central Plains and upper Midwest on
Thursday.
High temperatures will be up to 25 degrees colder than average for
early August, which corresponds to temperatures topping out in the 60s
and 70s. A few areas in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota may see highs
only in the 50s Thursday.

Forecast Highs Compared to Average

By Saturday, cooler-than-average conditions will stretch from the
Plains into much of the South and East. However, portions of New England
and Florida will likely see temperatures near average.(FORECAST: Denver | Kansas City | Nashville | Pittsburgh)
The only areas east of the Rockies that will see highs climb into the
90s this weekend will be portions of Texas and central and southern
Florida.

Five-Day Forecast

In addition to the drop on the thermometer, the humidity will also
decrease, once again, from the northern and central Plains eastward into
the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, where dew points will generally tumble
into the 50s.(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast)
Low temperatures will also be cooler than average, especially in the Plains and Midwest, through this weekend.

Forecast Morning Lows

Thursday through Saturday mornings, lows in the 40s and 50s will be common in these regions.
This will make it feel more like early fall in many spots, including Chicago,
where lows in the mid- to upper 50s are the average lows in early to
mid-September, and Oklahoma City, where minimum temperatures in the
lower 60s are expected in mid-September.

Will Summer's Searing Heat Return?

Another disturbance may move through the East early next week
and usher in another round of below-average temperatures, along with
comfortable dew-point levels for the Plains, Midwest and Northeast.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
has highlighted areas in the Plains and Midwest as having the greatest
chance of cooler-than-average temperatures next week.

Temperature Outlook

For those looking for summer's searing heat, it should become more
humid in the South next week, but clouds and storms may help to suppress
temperatures.(MORE: August Temperature Outlook)
There are also indications that there may be some moderation in
temperatures in the South and East late next week, ahead of yet another
cold front, but the details remain uncertain.
Changes in the upper-level pattern in the northern Pacific may
finally bring a shift in this stubborn weather pattern in the U.S. in
the second half of August.MORE: Tropical Storm Emily (PHOTOS)

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